Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapters 1–5

by J.K. Rowling
In the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, the Triwizard Tournament brings foreign students — and unexpected dangers — to Hogwarts.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–10, Chapters 11–18, Chapters 19–27, Chapters 28–37

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. derelict
    in deplorable condition
    Once a fine-looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the Riddle House was now damp, derelict, and unoccupied.
  2. embroider
    add details to
    The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore.
  3. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement.
  4. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
    “Told you I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of Frank, didn’t I, Dot?” said an excited woman in the corner.
    “Horrible temper,” said Dot, nodding fervently.
  5. bewilderment
    confusion resulting from failure to understand
    In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all appeared to be in perfect health—apart from the fact that they were all dead.
  6. suppress
    reduce the incidence or severity of or stop
    Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer than ever, but could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him, try as he might to suppress them.
  7. protracted
    relatively long in duration
    Another pause, more protracted, and then—
    “Without Harry Potter?” breathed the second voice softly.
  8. wearisome
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental fatigue
    I wonder...perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail?
  9. incoherent
    without logical or meaningful connection
    Wormtail, who had been sputtering incoherently, fell silent at once.
  10. sullen
    showing a brooding ill humor
    “I am a faithful servant,” said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice.
  11. mirth
    great merriment
    Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh—an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech.
  12. undulate
    move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
    Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared as its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer—What was he to do?
  13. travesty
    a distorted, debased, or absurd imitation of something
    The snake, on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like some horrible travesty of a pet dog.
  14. disconcerting
    causing an emotional disturbance
    It had been enough of a shock for Harry to discover, on his eleventh birthday, that he was a wizard; it had been even more disconcerting to find out that everyone in the hidden Wizarding world knew his name.
  15. affliction
    a condition of suffering or distress due to ill health
    “Your scar hurt? Harry, that’s really serious.... Write to Professor Dumbledore! And I'll go and check Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions.... Maybe there’s something in there about curse scars....”
  16. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    And so he tried to imagine his other best friend, Ron Weasley’s, reaction, and in a moment, Ron’s red hair and long-nosed, freckled face seemed to swim before Harry, wearing a bemused expression.
  17. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    When Aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudley’s plate with a tremulous “There you are, Diddy darling,” Dudley glowered at her.
  18. boisterous
    marked by exuberance and high spirits
    They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report—“He’s a boisterous little boy, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly!” Aunt Petunia had said tearfully.
  19. morale
    a state of individual psychological well-being
    Aunt Petunia seemed to feel that the best way to keep up Dudley’s morale was to make sure that he did, at least, get more to eat than Harry.
  20. oblige
    provide a service or favor for someone
    Hedwig had returned from Hermione’s house with a large box stuffed full of sugar-free snacks. (Hermione’s parents were dentists.) Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had obliged with a sack full of his own homemade rock cakes.
  21. curt
    brief and to the point
    Harry heard talking at the door, and someone laughing, and Uncle Vernon answering curtly.
  22. livid
    furiously angry
    He looked livid.
    “You,” he barked at Harry.
  23. peruse
    examine or consider with attention and in detail
    Uncle Vernon was perusing the letter again.
  24. imminent
    close in time; about to occur
    The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable.
  25. foreboding
    a feeling of evil to come
    Harry felt a slight sense of foreboding.
  26. don
    put on clothes
    Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley usually wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness.
  27. diminished
    made to seem smaller or less, especially in worth
    Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright.
  28. diatribe
    thunderous verbal attack
    Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry.
  29. compulsive
    having obsessive habits or irresistible urges
    Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions.
  30. terse
    brief and to the point
    At half past, he heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room.
  31. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
    Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that.
  32. sufficient
    of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement
    Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon’s bulk, while sufficient to hide bony Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley.
  33. indignation
    a feeling of righteous anger
    “You aren’t going to see your nephew till next summer,” he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. “Surely you’re going to say good-bye?”
  34. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    His last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of Mr. Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon’s hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley’s tongue lolling around like a great slimy python.
  35. undermine
    weaken or impair, especially gradually
    “That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons—”
  36. earnestly
    in a sincere and serious manner
    “No, we gave it to him because he’s a great bullying git,” said George. “Isn’t he, Harry?”
    “Yeah, he is, Mr. Weasley,” said Harry earnestly.
  37. peevish
    easily irritated or annoyed
    “Very badly,” said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut.
  38. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
    “I’ve told Mr. Crouch that I’ll have it ready by Tuesday,” Percy was saying pompously.
  39. acquisition
    something gained
    In the middle of the table, Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earring, which seemed to be a recent acquisition.
  40. sanctimonious
    excessively or hypocritically pious
    "Well, I certainly don’t,” said Percy sanctimoniously. “I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days.”
Created on Wed Aug 26 19:34:22 EDT 2015 (updated Tue Jul 19 13:52:56 EDT 2022)

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